Pages in category african secret societies the following pages are in this category, out of total. Pdf the role of secret societies in the conservation of sacred. The west african secret societies, according to capt. As a source of water, food, and transportation, the river. Thus the secret societies form among primitive peoples as among civilized men a means of holding the group together, a means of entertainment and instruction. In this book, notorious secret societies, youll everything you want and need to know. R west african secret societies, their organisations, officials and teaching, african affairs, volume xxix, issue cxiv.
Africa has a long history of cults and secret societies that have allegedly played a hand in the continents economics, politics and law enforcement. A history of african societies to 1870 elizabeth isichei. Sep 10, 2010 west african secret societies buttthompson, f. The secret societies of all ages and countries internet archive. The volume by captain buttthompson tells of the societies of west africa. The majority of west african secret societies can be looked at as variants of a broad. Download the pdf to view the article, as well as its associated figures and tables. Mar 12, 2017 want to learn the secrets of secret societies. Professor of history shawnee state university secret societies are conspiracies working covertly to achieve a hidden agenda. Mar 07, 2016 eight secret societies you might not know. Image of the international african institute logo white on transparent. The churches and the fraternalmutual aid societies formed the core of black communities during the latter part of the eighteenth century.
West african secret societies international affairs oxford academic. West africa s indigenous religions remained strongest in the forest region. Geometry and grammar of mystery scholarly communication. Jul 28, 2014 secret societies still exist today, but the advent of the internet has made real secrets much harder to keep. Effects on west africa effects on the americas summarize some of the following inaportmt characteristics of west african societies around 1492. The role this river played in the development of civilizations is one example of the way the physical geography of west africa affected history there. R west african secret societies, their organisations, officials and teaching, african affairs, volume xxix, issue cxiv, 1 january 1930, pages 219, we use cookies to enhance your experience on our website. The internet has shone light on many secret societies, rendering them not so secret.
They were central to an african american sense of identity. Poro can be found on all levels in sierra leone and liberia. May 26, 2017 this alludes to the womens and mens initiation societiesin common english parlance, secret societiesthat govern important matters of life and death in the region, and which strictly withhold knowledge of their activities from nonmembers. Heres a little light on 12 cults and secret societies of africa. The political unrest we see around the world is often planned by the jesuits and brought about through their lackey organizationssecret societies. Ebola and secret societies poro studies association. Portraits of west africas secret societies step into a world of juju healers and devil dancers, a world where the influence of secret societies is rampant and a belief in the power of witchcraft is widespread. For members, secrecy is a sanctuary and a source of power. Africa the day i infiltrated an african cult by daisy carrington, for cnn. The 7 most exclusive secret societies in history huffpost. Masons ride in parades and the karstphanomen now work out in the open with lawyers and public advocates.
This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of. Beneath an allpowerful, but remote, creator god were lesser gods who represented the forces of nature. West african societies around 1492 a, as you read about societies in west africa, fill out this causeandeffect chart. Poro studies association exploring west african secret. Location some locations besides west central africa were the zaine river, taesoo, and sahara highway. Secret societies have been part of west african culture for many years and since there are as of now no available societies for them to join i. Powerful secret societies in the west and elsewhere rule their countries and the world behind. Learn west africa african societies social studies with free interactive flashcards. Modern african americans have strong ancestral ties to the people of west africa. Have you or a family member been trapped in a secret society.
West african empire that succeeded mali and controlled trade from the 1400s to 1591 hausa a west african people who lived in what is now northern nigeria after a. Here is an overview of some of the main secret societies that have emerged throughout history. These institutions served as the staging ground for reform and protest organizations and were the foundation of the social and economic structure of black society. This comprehensive and detailed exploration of the african past, from prehistory to approximately 1870, is intended to provide a fully uptodate complement to the cambridge history of africa. It appears there will be a marked supply of poro items leaving african for collectors, and some of these items could be carrying ebola. The virginia military institute has rules that no cadet may join a secret society, and secret societies have been banned at oberlin college from 1847 to the present, and at princeton university since the beginning of the 20th century. Here is another example of a dan female figure, carved during the same period that zlan was active, with a softer, more rounded and relaxed treatment of the shoulders and arms, comparing favorably with the figure in the fine arts museums of san francisco dating from the 19th20th century johnson, 1986, figure 17. Although africa has a variety of land forms and climates, almost three quarters of it lies within the tropics. It was allmale, most likely originating as a warrior society, and assumed importance during the atlantic slave trade, which was centered in calabar and dominated by the efik people by the late 1700s. Are secret societies really dangerous or just a group of likeminded people trying to accomplish something important for the betterment of the world. Although its political power was extensive and evident throughout south african society for many decades, its rituals and membershipby invitation onlyremained secret. Masking in mende sande society initiation rituals africa. Every secret society provides, in its initiation rites, a certain amount of.
Through masking performances the public is kept informed of important events which occur in the secret domain and is allowed carefully limited participation in the experience of society members. By continuing to use our website, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Their organizations, officials, and teaching by buttthompson, f. Pdf sacred forests hold the last remaining primary forest in many parts of sierra leone, but they. Home browse magazines news and opinion magazines new african article details, secret societies. Most of the socalled secret societies of west africa are tribal and with them are botund up the traditions and customs of the people, so that their total extinction would be almost impossible, though modification appears in some cases to be desirable. West african secret societies, their organisations, officials and. Knights soon had thousands of followers, many of whom formed guerilla armies and began raiding union strongholds in the west. West african societies around 1492 islam plantation songhai savanna benin kongo lineage west africa in the 1400s was home to a variety of peoples and cultures. The poro society has bush schools and dancing devil ceremonies, as well as magical healers and herbalists. This location was north and west of the location of the modern nation that bears the name ghana.
Only anonymous, the techsavvy internet entity has captured the popular imagination in the same way that secret societies once did. Masquerades are a means of mediating between the secret societies which dominate mende social life and the general community. West african secret societies, journal of the royal institute of international affairs, volume 8, issue 4, 1 july 1929, pages 400. The volume by captain buttthompson tells of the societies of west africa, their organization and customs, and illustrates freely the details of what american lodge members call the work. And those africans carrying them to other countries. They were polytheistic and animistic, recognizing a great number of divinities and spirits. Gahnuh, an empire in west africa, gained control of the valu able routes. Cause early contacts between west african and portuguese traders. West african secret societies reported that poro had influenced nearly all of sierra leone with its branches, especially those of bundu, ampora, kufong and mannekeh being acknowledged by the tenne, mende, sherbro, vai, kafubullom, koranko, lokko, limba and sandatemne peoples as well as by paganised fula, susu and mandingo settlers. Written and researched in the 1920s this book is as much or more about the pagan religions and folk customs of various west african tribes as it is about any secret societies that exist in those cultures. Although, africa owned gold fields kingdoms traded good to europeans to gain power and conquer. Secret societies often claim to be ancient and they claim direct initiatory. Mar 22, 2012 the 10 most elite secret societies in history. The leopard society, also known as ekpe or anyoto aniota, was the oldest of the cross river secret societies in west africa.
Religion there were two religious traditions in fifteenthcentury west africa. As you can see on the map on the following page, the empire of ghana lay between the niger and senegal rivers. Has anyone considered adding secret societies for the west. As true as the general notion of cultism might be, most rooted african secret cults started off as a requisite for the good of the people and. Faq for information about file content and naming conventions. Choose from 500 different sets of west africa african societies social studies flashcards on quizlet. Islam, which was introduced into west africa by arab traders and took root first in the sudanese empires, was most preva. English afrikaner brotherhood, south african secret society composed of afrikaansspeaking protestant, white men over the age of 25. Choose from 500 different sets of africa chapter 1 section 3 african flashcards on quizlet. West africas great river look closely at the map on the next page and find the niger river.
913 804 1420 446 767 974 1077 1374 415 1241 1273 47 76 1345 76 1091 1475 947 246 5 395 1161 457 517 1245 1427 1220 512 1329 460